Hi all. I am still relatively new to goats (or any livestock, for that matter), but I have a sinking feeling one of my does may have bugs... She seems to be twitching and itching and stamping her feet a lot. I have brushed through her coat a number of times (she is losing a lot of her undercoat right now), but I can't see any evidence of bugs/eggs in that hair or on her hair/skin either (although her hair is so think it is hard to actually see down to the skin). Is it possible she has some kind of external bugs bothering her? Does shedding cause this kind of irritation? I have read the earlier threads on bugs and it sounds like I should try dousing her with DE, but before I went and medicated her I just wanted to check and see if the problem might pass when she is done shedding her underfur.
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okay thanks :)
I don't know if that would cause this or not but personally, if you are talking about what I am pretty sure that you are, I wouldn't use that on my dog either. I think that would possible causes scratches on goat skin that could actually cause bacteria and infection to enter the skin. You only need a stiff "regular, nylon or whatever" bristle, not wire! Shaving would be great if you can do that!
It could be just shedding, or it could be flies. One of my does, who I know does not have lice or mites, HATES when the gnats and flies get after her (more than the rest of them). She will stomp, buck, jump, and run around until its gone and she goes back to normal.
The flies and gnats have been really bad in my area already. They get after me, too, when I'm outside. We have had a ton of rain, had a weak winter with no hard freeze, and then heat...parasite paradise, unfortunately.
If your girl has mites, she will likely have patches of hair missing. If it's lice, she probably won't have patches missing but you will be able to look down into her fur -- maybe use a magnifying glass -- and see them. If you find a parasite problem and DE doesn't work, you can use Cylence. It is a topical lice medication labeled for use in cattle. I have used it in the past when I've had lice in my herd.
If you have clippers you can also shave her. That will help with the itch from shedding and also helps to get rid of any external parasites she might have.
If she has bugs, NO it won't pass after she sheds. She will still have them. As Rachel said, DE is not a medication and is very safe to use. A conservative method of use that prevents waste and keeps it from being caked on in areas is to place it in an old sock and dust them with it. And once again, as Rachel said get FOOD GRADE DE! If you have a TSC near you, they should have the food grade for about $15 for a bag that is maybe 15-20#s. Can't remember for sure but it is a lot. You will want very dry storage for it. I use a galvanized can w/ lid and keep it in the bag also!
It could also be something else, although it does sound like bugs. If she has mites, you will not see them w/ the naked eye but lice are visible but if you are like many of us you won't even see them w/out reading glasses. Does she have any bare SPOTS/patches?
Hi, Randy!! What you've described *might* just be shedding, but I just wanted to mention that DE isn't medication. It's a natural earth powder that dehydrates parasites to death. Be sure to use Food Grade DE if you use it. :)